Air conditioning and refrigerating device



Feb. 18, 1936. R, MCKINNEY 2,031,055

AIR CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATING DEVICE Filed Oct. 30, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l :L 4. -INVENT0R.

770562'5 M ffz'rzrze g ATTORNEY.

Feb. 18, 1936. R, MCKINNEY 2,031,055

AIR CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATING DEVICE Filed Oct. 50, 19:3 2 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES 2,031,055 AIR oommcnonmc AND REFRIGERATING DEVICE Robert McKinney, Highland Park, Mich., as-

signor of one-third to Lucius Harlow Grimes,

Highland Park, Mich.

Application ,October 30, 1933, Serial No. 695,890

This invention relates to air conditioning and refrigerating devices and the object of the invention is to provide a device in which evaporation is utilized for cooling, the evaporation being accomplished by blowing a current of air over a damp or wet fabric curtain.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air conditioning and refrigerating device in which theevaporation of the water produces both the desired humidity and coolness.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the air currents may be utilized to cool and humidify a compartment or a room.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for distributing the water to the curtains to provide the proper dampness for the air.

These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed .and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a section through a cooling and air' conditioning device showing one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 33 of Fi 2.

Fig. 4 is a section through a smaller air conditioner showing another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention in a small unit for use on a desk.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of the invention in which ice is utilized to increase the cooling effect or refrigeration.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 99 of Fig. 8.

In this device, a curtain l is provided which may be of burlap, felt or other absorbent material and on each side of this absorbent strip a wire mesh strip 2 is provided, as shown in Fig.

3, to hold the burlap to any form to which the wire mesh is bent. This wire mesh is of the usual type known as hardware cloth and is approximately one-quarter or one-half inch mesh. By this arrangement the wire mesh may be bent 5 to any desired form and will'hold the absorbent strip in that form. In the form of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a cabinet 3 is provided having a water pan 4 in the bottom. A compartment 5 is provided between the top and bottom 55 of the cabinet and this compartment is accessible through a doorpB shown in Fig. 1. A water pan 1 is also provided at the top of the compartment and a piece of the material shown in Fig. 3, is bent to the shape shown in Fig. la at 8 and is positioned in the water pan 1. Another strip of 5 This float valve may be of any standard type 5 so as to shut off on upward movement of the float and to open on downward movement of the float. Three screen inlet openings l4, l5 and Ili are provided, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, through which air may enter the device. Beneath the 20 compartment 5 a semi-cylindrical curtain I1 is provided formed from the material shown in Fig. 3 and this material is carried up the wall of the cabinet at l8 and terminates adjacent the opening I9 in the top of the cabinet. An extra 25 piece 20 of the material extends downwardly into the water in the water pan 4. An electric motor 2| is mounted on a standard 22 and is positioned within the semi-cylindrical portion I! of the curtain. This motor is provided with a longitudinal 30 shaft and a propeller type fan 23 is mounted on each end of the shaft and between each fan 23 and the motor is a blower type fan 24. In this case, the motor and'the four fans are positioned within the semi-cylindrical portion ll of the 35 curtain. A hinged lid 25 is provided over the opening 19 in the cabinet while the compartment 5 is provided with openings 26 controlled by a rotatable shutter 21, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

An opening 28 is also provided in the bottom of 40 the compartment 5. For air cooling and conditioning, the openings 26 are closed by means of the shutter 21 and the lid 25 is raised to allow air to pass through the opening I9, as will be understood from Fig. '1. The semi-cylindrical 45 portion ll of the curtain extends into the water in the water pan 4 and the absorbent material in the curtain acts as a wick, in that the water keeps the curtain damp. At the same time, the extension 20 of the curtain in the pan 4.also acts as. wick. The portion 9 of the curtain tends to siphon water out of thepan I to keep the portion 9 wet while the portion 8 of the curtain by absorption will also act as a wick tokeep the absorbent material in the portion 8 wet.- as

In operation the motor 2| is started thus operating the fans to draw air inwardly through the screened openings l4, l5 and Hi. This air is then drawn into the semi-cylindrical portion ll of the curtain by thefans and is blown upwardly in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 1. This air passing over the wet surfaces of the curtains will pick up moisture by evaporation and the evaporation will cool the water so that the air is cooled by evaporation. As will be noted from Fig. 1 the air passes upwardly between the wet curtains 9 and I8 and over the curtain 8 and thence outwardly through the opening 9 and beneath the lid 25. If desired, the lid 25 may be removed and a conduit provided over the opening I9 to conduct the cooled humidified air to any desired point.

The compartment 5 may be provided with wire racks or shelves and in order to allow air to flow through this compartment the openings 26 in the compartment may be opened by turning the shutter 21. When this is done, it is also necessary to closethe lid 25 over the opening I 9. With the lid closed and the openings 26 opened the air will pass upwardly and a portion of the air will pass through the curtain 9 and through the openings 26 into the interior of the compartment and thence downwardly through the opening 28 in the compartment back to the fan. The remainder of the air will pass upwardly over the curtain 8 and around the sides of the compartment 5 back down to the fan. This circulation increases evaporation and cools or refrigerates anything positioned inthe compartment 5.

A smaller form of the device is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 comprising a casing 29 having a semi cylindrical curtain 30 mounted therein formed of the same material shown in Fig. 3. The bottom of the casing is partially filled with wateras shown and the curtain 30 extends through this water and terminates adjacent the outlet opening 3|. The upper portion of the curtain extends partially about the circle and is provided with a portion 32 which also terminates at the outlet opening 3|. A water pan 33 is provided in the top of the casing 29 and an air conduit 34 extends through the water pan 33 and through a curtain 35 positioned in the water :pan. The lower end of this conduit 34 is provided with a bell opening 36 as shown. A bracket 31 shown in Fig. 5 is mounted in the casing 29 and an electric motor 38 is mounted on the bracket. The

shaft of the motor 38 is provided with a propeller type fan 39 on each end thereof and between each fan 39 and the motor, is a blower typefan 40. At each end of the cylindrical curtain 30 is a vertical curtain 4| through which the shaft of the motor 38 extends and the lower end of this curtain 4| extends into the water at the bottom of the casing 29 while the upper endis turned over to extend into the water pan '33 at the top of the device. In this device, inlet openings 42 are provided at opposite ends of the easing. The curtains 4| tend to siphon water from the tank 33' to keep the curtains wet and the curtains have a wick action in carrying fwater upwardly from the reservoirin the bottom of thecasing.

To operate the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the electric motor is operated to rotate the fans 39 and 49". The fans 39 draw air inwardly through the openings 42 while the fans draw the air through the wet curtains 4| into the interior of the cylindrical curtain 30. From this point the air is blown forwardly in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 4 over. the wet curtains and out through the outlet 3|. In this device the principle of evaporation to humidify and cool the air is the same as in the form of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The device may be utilized, as shown, to humidify and cool the air in a room or a conduit may be connected to the outlet 3| to deliver the air to any desired point. The air conduit'34 extends into the air stream from the fans 49 and air is blown upwardly through this conduit and outwardlyover the top curtain 35, as shown by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 5, so that additional moisture is added to the air from this point.

In the form of the device shown in Figs. 6 and 'I a casing 55 is provided having vertical curtains provided, as shown in Fig. 6, also extending into the water to act as a wick. The electric motor 69 is mounted within the semi-cylindrical curtain portion and is provided with propeller type fans 6| on opposite ends of the motor shaft and a blower type fan 62 is also connected to the motor shaft. In operation the air is drawn inwardly by the fan 6| through the openings 51 and through the curtains 56 and the air is then blown by the blower around the semi-cylindrical curtain and out through the opening 63 provided in the top of the housing.

It is possible to utilize the same principle in connection with ice to provide cooled humidified air. An arrangement for this purpose is shown in Figs. 8 and 9 which includes an outer cabinet 64 having an inner cabinet 65 mounted therein.

This inner cabinet is provided with rods 66 on which a cake of. ice 61 may be positioned and the lower part of the cabinet is provided with a downward extension 68 to receive the water from the meltingice. The top 69 of the cabinet is removable and the curtain material shown in Fig. 3 is formed to provide a cover 19 for the ice cake having a handle H by which the cover 19 may be removed through the top of the cabinet. A semicylindrical curtain I2 is provided beneath the ice chamber 65 and extends downwardly along the level of the water in the bottom of the cabinet. The curtain I2 then extends upwardly along the outer wall or the cabinet while an extension I3 extends downwardly into the water to act as a wick. An additional curtain 14 is provided over the outer wall of the compartment 65 in spaced relation with the curtain 12. The electric motor 15 is mounted within the semi-cylindrical curtain portion 12 and curtains I6 are provided at opposite sides of the ice cabinet 65 and extend downwardly into the water in the bottom of the cabinet. The shaft of the electric motor 15 extends through the curtains IG and a fan I1 is mounted on each end of the motor shaft. Pulleys are also provided on the motor shaft for the belts 19 which extend over pulleys I9 and blower type fans 89 are provided in the motor shaft within the semi-cylindrical curtain portions 12 and between the curtains 16. Screened openings 8| are provided at opposite sides of the cabinet to allow air to enter the device.

In operation the belts 18 are rotated by operation of the motor to throw a spray over the ourtains l6 and the fans 11 draw air inwardly through the air inlets while the fans 80 draw the air through the curtains l6 and blow it upwardly in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 8. As the air is driven upwardly it carries water by evaporation and also becomes cool from the ice. It will also be noted from Fig. 8 that a conduit 82 leads from the bottom of the ice chamber 65 toward the bottom of the cabinet and this conduit is preferably controlled by a valve operated by the float 83. This valve is of a standard type so that when the float isin the position shown in Fig. 8 the conduit is closed and when the float moves downwardly the conduit is opened to allow water to discharge to the bottom of the cabinet in order to maintain the water level at the curtains 12. As this is cold water from the ice it will assist in cooling the air flowing through the device. If desired, an artificial refrigerating unit or frost generator may be substituted for the ice.

The devices are particularly designed so that chemicals may be added to the water and the air drawn through the chemically treated water will thereby be purified. Chemicals may be utilized in the water to neutralize odors as well as to kill germs and such chemicals as salt and iodine may be added to the water to produce artificial sea air. In this connection it will be noted that the chemicals are carried by the air so that this treatment may be developed to high efiiciency in eration, chemicals may also be utilized the treatment of pulmonary diseases. In refrigto purify the food in the refrigerator and to reduce or neutralize any food odors.

It is also possible to heat the water reservoirs either by means of electrical heating elements or otherwise in order to produce warm humidified air and the devices may be arranged for use in connection with a gas, coal, oil or electric furnace in which the air is delivered into the furnace and is either heated by the furnace or mixed with heated air from the furnace.

While I have described the material utilized in the curtains between the wire mesh as an absorbent material, it may also be made up of matted wire or other shredded or matted material to remove the dust from the air.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident that the device is very simple and efl'icient in operation, will not easily get out of order, will produce cool humidified air and provides a device which accomplishes the objects described.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States is- 1. In an air conditioning device, a casing provided with a water reservoir, an electric motor mounted within the casing and provided with a shaft, a series of 'fans on the shaft, the casing having a pair of inlet openings, a curtain between each air inlet opening and the fans, the curtain being formed of absorbent porous material having a layer of wire mesh on each side thereof, a pair of belts driven by the electric motor, each belt extending into the water reservoir and each belt being provided with lugs for throwing water over the curtains during rotation of the belt.

2. In an air conditioning device, a casing provided with a water reservoir, an electric motor mounted within the casing and provided with a shaft, a series of fans on the shaft, the casing having a pair of inlet openings, a curtain between each air inlet opening and the fans, the curtain being formed of absorbent porous material having a. layer of wire mesh on each side thereof and means driven by the electric motor for distributing water from the reservoir over the curtains.

3. In'an air conditioning device, a casing, a water reservoir in the casing, a semi-cylindrical absorbent porous curtain mounted in the casing and extending into the water in the reservoir and means for drawing air inwardly through the ends of the semi-cylindrical curtain and discharging it outwardly through the open side of the semi-cylindri'cal curtain.

4. In an air conditioning device, a casing, a semi-cylindrical curtain mounted in the casing, fan means arranged to draw air into the ends of the semi-cylindrical curtain and discharge it through the open side of the semi-cylindrical curtain and means for distributing water onto the curtain.

ROBERT MCKINNEY. 

